Health Organization Case Study
Prepare a 1,000-1250-word paper that focuses on the organization or network you have selected.
Your essay should assess the readiness of the health care organization or network in addressing the health care needs of citizens in the next decade, and include a strategic plan that addresses issues pertaining to network growth, nurse staffing, resource management, and patient satisfaction. Provide a comparison to the health care organization or network and the Singapore Airlines. Include any cultural issues that may influence the practices listed above.
Health Organization Case Study
Introduction
Over the last decade, the issue of healthcare insurance and that of affordable and quality medical care has dominated the discourse of health conversation in the country. With largely disintegrated health care systems, the average cost of healthcare services has consistently skyrocketed locking out a large chunk of population that is in dire need of the healthcare services. In addition to this the lack of efficient and comprehensive health care record keeping systems has not made the situation any better yet. Many healthcare providers have been grappling with a largely disintegratedhealth systems and this has impacted negatively on the overall quality and provision of health services. It is against this backdrop of this that healthcare consortiums such as Kaiser Permanente was conceived. Established in the year 1945, by industrialist Henry J Kaiser and Sidney Garfield, Kaiser has grown to be one of Americas’ largest integrated managed healthcare consortium made up of up to three organizations; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. (KFHP), Kaiser Foundation Hospitals; and the regional Permanente Medical Groups as of 2017. As observed by lms.rn.com, KaiserPermanente is arguably the largest ‘not for profit’ health plan (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Assuring the Health of the Public in the 21st Century, 2015). With the advancement of healthcare technology, Abelson observed that Kaiser has one of the most sophisticated health digital records that critically provides for a coordinated patient care. However, pertinent questions regarding the firm’s readiness to addressing the health care needs of citizens in the next decade as well as its strategic plan have constantly been raised. This paper therefore assesses its readiness as well as conduct a comparative analysis to Singapore airlines.
To begin with, one of the strategies through which the firm is advancing in order to adequately meet the needs of citizens in the next decade is through investing in digitisation of health records and computerised systems. Over the years, it has been averred by health stakeholders that Information Technology hold the key to improved health care systems. Indeed, as observed by IOM in order to deliver the quality care envisioned in Crossing the Quality Chasm (Abelson, 2013).
It is against this backdrop that Kaiser has invested up to $ 6 billion over the last years to improve its computerised patient care systems and population health management infrastructure (Goldsmith, 2014). Through this the firm is keen to go into the future with relevant technology that will be able to the constant evolution of technology and the ever changing patient needs and healthcare dynamics. It is important to observe that Computer-based systems for the entry of physician orders have proven to be of substantial benefit in advancing and enhancing patient safety (About Kaiser Permanente, 2019 ). Moreover, besides coordinating care across healthcare providers it further facilitates the use of “performance and outcome measures for quality improvement and accountability” (About Kaiser Permanente, 2019).
Moreover, in order to ensure continuity and maintenance of competence as well as a means to achieving excellence, Kaiser developed a comprehensive strategic plan where issues pertaining to network growth, nurse staffing, resource management, and patient satisfaction have adequately been addressed. For instance, on achieving network growth, the firm has developed its organization structure to not only ensuresmooth management and transitioning but also quality service provision. The firm has decentralised its core services based on specific functionality and core products for instance it has three entities, the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. (KFHP) Kaiser Foundation Hospitals; and Permanente Medical Groups where each serve to meet specific healthcare needs. The facility further manages these entities via a vertically integrated care system that ensures smooth delivery of its services. The separation and distribution of these entities is a factor that has contributed to its significant growth in network as they are each located in different various geographical regions surviving different demographic settings.
Furthermore, on nurse staffing Kaiser Permanente in its strategic plan, provides for sourcing of highly competent nurses from diverse backgrounds so as to not only ensure professional competency but also cultural competency and diversity. Moreover, the firm recognises the central role of nursing its activities and thus provides for a conducive working environment where as observed by McHugh et al, the Kaiser nurse are less likely to experience burnout or desire to leave their jobs as compared to those from magnet hospitals (McHugh et al, 2016). Moreover, the facility has better nurses staffing levels that ensured a better nursing to patient ratio thus avoiding overworking its nurses hence the low burnout rate.
Considering its huge nature as a healthcare conglomerateand the enormous revenue it generates annually, where as of 2013 it had generated up to $53 billion and $19 billion in reserves (Goldsmith, 2014) the issue if resource management becomes key. In its strategic plan the facility has developed an interpectoral resource management programs that incorporates nurses, physicians and other health stakeholders where key in their approach is delivery of service that is based on appropriateness and efficacy of care and services (Abelson, 2013).
Furthermore, as one of the largest integrated health care service providers with up to 9 million health plan subscribers, satisfaction of its clientele is undoubtedly one of firms’ primary priorities. Indeed, as observed by Goldsmith, the firm has at one point attained a 5-star rating in Medicare Advantage in customer satisfaction. In its strategic plan, in order to further cement this milestone, the firm seeks to tailor its services to be more patient oriented. For instance, the firm seeks to bring its services closer to the people by leveraging on internet technology where the patients can access their services from wherever location they are. Moreover, the firm seeks to further lower the cost of medic-care by focusing on preventive healthcare measures where much of the responsibility such as maintaining fitness will be bestowed on the patient consequently making them in charge of their healthcare plan.
Comparative analysis (Singapore Airlines)
This section seeks to comparatively analyse key aspects that make Singapore Airlines unique and importantly those that are fundamentally in relation to Kaisers’. To begin with, Singapore Airlines was established in 1972 after a separation with Malaysian airlines and has since then morphed into one of the best performing, reputable and admired airline in Asia and globally. The success story of the airline is well punctuated with similarities to that of the rise of Kaiser to be one of the leading integrated care providing company. For instance, the success of the airline is largely accredited to the quality of its services as envisioned in the company’s philosophy; “Success or failure is largely dictated by the quality of services it provides”.
In view of this, the airline procured a highly competent and youthful workforce to serve as it cabins crew attendants to further enhance the its flight service experience.This emphasis of service quality as an ingredient of excellence as well as focus on its core worker force (in flight attendants) quite is similar to Kaisers’ approach where it places much value to the nurses. As a consequence, in both cases, the firms have significantly managed to maintain a pool of highly competent and motivated workforces (Nurses/ in flight attendants). This has also contributed significantly to improved customer satisfaction of (patient’s /flight passengers) as a result of overall provision of quality services (Institute of Medicine (US) (Committee on Assuring the Health of the Public in the 21st Century, 2015).
Moreover, it is important to point out that Kaiser and Singapore airlines are both located in different geographical locations and as a result different cultural settings and dispensation. For instance, the geographical location and coverage of Kaiser in America has necessitated the need for a diverse workforce in staffing so as to cater for cultural competency as it located in an ethnically diverse region. This has been a key factor in service delivery thus satisfying its customers from these regions. On the other hand, Singapore airlines are largely domiciled on the Asian region and thus largely serves people of Asian origin. This largely explains the staffing of the airline where most of the flight attendants are of Asian origin. Moreover, based on considerations of cultural undertones, most of the attendants are curiously youthful.
Conclusion
To sum up, adequate preparedness for the eventualities of the future are indeed a critical component and a defining factor for the fate of most organizations future. From Kaiser to Singapore Airlines, adherences to cultural competency as well as formulation of strategic plans that meet the demands of the increasingly globalised and diverse markets have become inevitable.
References
Abelson, R. (2013). The Future of Healthcare. Talk About it.